Academic advising at UH Mānoa is decentralized — each of the university’s 15 colleges and schools has its own dedicated advising office, so your advisor truly knows your program inside and out.

As an undergraduate, you’ll typically work with two advisors:

• Major Advisor — specializes in your field; guides course sequencing, availability, and major requirements.
• College Advisor — provides broader support including general education, graduation requirements, and degree clearance.

Some students also receive guidance from specialized advising offices based on their goals or background.

Click any college or school to visit their homepage:

Since advising is decentralized, services vary by office — but most advising offices provide support in these areas:

• Course Selection & Registration — help choosing classes that align with your goals and requirements.
• Degree Planning & Progress Tracking — creating academic plans and staying on track to graduate on time.
• Understanding Policies & Requirements — explaining university policies, gen ed requirements, and program rules.
• Support for Academic Challenges — connecting you with tutoring, counseling, or other campus resources.
• Career & Graduate School Preparation — some offices help explore careers, prep for grad school, and find internships.

Use the UH Mānoa Advising Guide to find your college’s advising office, contact info, and appointment options.

• Before registration opens — Meet around October (for spring) or March (for fall) to plan courses and avoid last-minute stress.
• Freshmen & sophomores — Meeting may fulfill your mandatory advising requirement (each fall & spring). Check with your advisor to confirm.
• Thinking about changing your major? — Your advisor can help you explore and transition smoothly.
• Facing challenges? — Don’t wait! Advisors can connect you with tutoring, counseling, or financial aid support.
• Before graduating — Meet at least one year before your planned graduation to review requirements.

If you’re undeclared or undecided, Exploratory Pathways Advising (EPA) is here to help! EPA specializes in supporting students who are exploring their options and figuring out the right path.

Use the online form to request a change of major, minor, or certificate program.

• Start by contacting your current advising office, especially if the second major is within the same college.
• Meet with the advising office for your intended second major to learn requirements and how they fit together.
• Review any admission requirements for the second major before moving forward.

The Mānoa Advising Center (MAC) offers six exploratory pathway options for students who are undecided or working toward specific admission requirements:

• Exploratory (EX)
• Exploratory Arts & Humanities (EXAH)
• Exploratory Business (EXB)
• Exploratory Health Sciences (EXHS)
• Exploratory Social Sciences (EXSS)
• Exploratory STEM (EXST)

A pre-major (like Pre-Psychology) is for students who have chosen a major but must first meet specific admission requirements before officially entering the program. Pre-majors are housed within each respective program.

Exploratory pathways are for students still deciding on a major within a broad area of interest. They’re housed under the Mānoa Advising Center and offer more flexibility to explore options with advisor support before committing.

The Pre-Professional Advising Center (PAC) provides guidance for students pursuing health professions, law, and other professional programs.

STAR GPS (Graduation Pathway System) is UH Mānoa’s online degree planning and registration tool. It shows you exactly which requirements you’ve completed, what’s still needed, and how your courses fit into your degree.

• Degree Check — see completed and remaining requirements at a glance.
• Pathway Planning — map your courses semester by semester toward graduation.
• Registration — search for classes and register directly from your plan.
• “What-If” Scenarios — explore how your credits would apply to a different major, minor, or certificate.

1. 1
   Log in at star.hawaii.edu with your UH username and password, then click GPS Registration.
2. 2
   Move courses between semesters by clicking and dragging requirements — helpful for adjusting course load or planning around availability.
3. 3
   See fulfillment options by clicking any requirement to see all courses that can satisfy it. Star ⭐ a course to save it to your registration page.
4. 4
   Check prerequisites — some courses require prior coursework, placement exams, or a minimum class standing. Verify in the UH Mānoa Catalog.
5. 5
   Choose the right credit load — aim for 15 credits/semester; 12 is full-time minimum; 19 is the max without special approval.
6. 6
   Plan for summer — add a summer session in STAR GPS and drag requirements into it. Keep sessions to 2 courses max due to intensity.

• Check your STAR GPS plan — log in and review remaining requirements and planned courses.
• Follow your degree requirements — use STAR GPS and the UH Mānoa Catalog together.
• Meet prerequisites early — look ahead at future requirements and take prerequisites as soon as possible.
• Aim for 15 credits/semester — mix major, general education, and elective courses to keep workload balanced.
• Consult your academic advisor — they can ensure you’re registering in the right order and suggest options that match your goals.
• Plan around availability — some courses are offered only in certain semesters or years. Use STAR GPS to adjust accordingly.

• Join the waitlist — in STAR GPS, attempt to register; if full, you’ll see the waitlist option. Watch your UH email — if a seat opens, you have 24 hours to accept.
• Check other sections or times — look for the same course at different days/times, or online/hybrid options.
• Check UH Community Colleges for equivalent and transferable course options.
• Look at alternative courses — for gen ed or elective requirements, another course may still move you toward graduation.
• Contact your academic advisor — if the course is essential, they can help explore substitutions or planning adjustments.

Drops and withdrawals are done in STAR GPS through your registration cart:

• Week 1 (Drop — no “W”) — 100% tuition refund; does not appear on transcript.
• Weeks 2–3 (Drop — no “W”) — 50% tuition refund; does not appear on transcript.
• After Week 3 (Withdrawal — “W” grade) — A “W” appears on your transcript but does not affect your GPA. You’re still responsible for tuition and fees. Available until ~6 weeks before semester end.
• After the final withdrawal deadline — meet with your advisor to discuss late withdrawal options.

Yes! But follow these steps:

1. 1
   Check if the course will transfer using the UH Transfer Database.
2. 2
   Get advisor approval before enrolling to confirm it’ll count toward your degree.
3. 3
   Earn a C or better — most courses require this to transfer. The institution must be regionally accredited.
4. 4
   Request an official transcript sent directly to UH Mānoa Admissions (manoa.admissions@hawaii.edu).

Transfer credits from non-UH institutions are evaluated after admission and receipt of official transcripts (send to manoa.admissions@hawaii.edu). For AP scores, request that College Board send official scores directly to UH Mānoa Admissions.

Instead of a letter grade (A–F), CR/NC gives you:

• CR (Credit) — earned a “C” or better; you get the credits, but it does not affect your GPA.
• NC (No Credit) — grade of C– or below; no effect on GPA, but you don’t earn the credits.

CR/NC works best when exploring a new subject, meeting elective requirements, or managing a heavy course load.

UH Mānoa offers various study abroad and exchange programs. Visit the Global Education office for options, deadlines, and how to get started.

Visit the Gen Ed website for full details on requirements and how to fulfill them.

Learn how to fulfill the Hawaiian or Second Language requirement at the link below.

Visit the FOCUS requirements page for full details.

Visit the Registrar’s graduation page for application information, timelines, and commencement details. Aim to meet with your advisor at least one year before graduation to confirm you’re on track.

Eligibility: You must be regularly admitted, and may not attend another institution (within or outside UH System) during the leave. LOA is available for 1–2 semesters (excluding summer).

Process: Obtain and submit the LOA application to your academic advisor or college’s Student Academic Services. Be sure to notify relevant offices if you receive financial aid, VA benefits, scholarships, are an international student, or are in housing/athletics/ROTC.

Contact your academic advisor. Students significantly impacted by extenuating circumstances are encouraged to reach out as soon as possible.

Please see our Academic Actions page for detailed information.

The Mānoa Career Center (Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Services, Rm. 212) offers:

• Career Counseling & Planning — appointments for career exploration, résumé polishing, interview practice, and grad school prep. Workshops on grad school, résumé strategy, LinkedIn, and more (also available as on-demand “Pocket Workshops”).
• Career Exploration Tools — FOCUS 2 self-assessment, “What can I do with this major?” guides, and O*Net Online career profiles.
• Resource Library — guides on grad school timelines, personal statements, letters of recommendation, networking, and job search strategies.
• Job & Internship Listings — access the SECE Jobs Database and attend career fairs.

Find internships through:

• The UH Mānoa Career Center (Co-op & Internships program)
• Your college or department — many have their own partnerships with local organizations
• External job boards: Handshake, Indeed, LinkedIn, government agencies, and local companies

Do you need academic credit?

• Required internships — some programs (Social Work, Education, Nursing, etc.) require for-credit internships.
• Optional internships — you can pursue these with or without earning credit.
• Earning credit — get departmental approval before you start, meet eligibility requirements, and register for the internship course.